Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-21
THE OWNER OF REST VALLEY
Curious Life History of an Ex-Uonsress
mans Daughter,
Boston journal,

mans Daughter
Boston journal.
CANTERBURY, N. H., Feb. I0.-The last
and strangest chapter in all the career OF
the late Mrs. Lizzie Ii. Monmouth, who
died recently in this town, has Just come
! TO light As is well known, she was the
daughter OF the late ex, Congressman Her
Der, the widow of Colonel Monmouth, OF
Texas, an author of ability, and an eccen-
trio person generally. She was pest
known to the public in her later years by
I her public services in the Worsted Church
at illll's Corner near the Shaker Village,
and through the quaintness OF her artistic
home, known as Rest Valley, in the CEN
ter village of the town. Years ago she
gave out that she had lost through Cler-
gyman to whom she cOntided her business
affairs nearly all of handsome property
which she had inherited from her father.
| She managed, however, to retain herhum-
| BILE home and g. wood lot of a few acres.
| Then she began what she called her strug-
! gle with poverty. Persons who mad
! known ner in prosperity felt great interest
| in her and gave her food and clothing gen.
erously. For years she lived in cham
Der, refusing to see or speak to any one
excepting few intimate friends. she
remarked to neighbor that II the public
did not wish her to starve she would &C
cept any offerings of provisions that might
be rendered. Her way of receiving gifts
was as follows: She would, unseen, let
down rope from her chamber window,
and when persons brought her presents
| they would attach them to the end of the
line, and after their departure Mrs. Mon
mouth would lift by the rope into her
chamber what had been deposited4or neg
outside. Il
She kept along in this way for consid-
cradle time, her friends and what few
rel tives she had being anxious that she
should not become a public charge. she
wrote pamphlet that friend got pub
lished for her entitled Giving on Hall d
Dime Day." in which she related how
there had been times in which she had
lived with g daily expense for food OF
only cents. She wrote that she was "a
woman with broken health and broken
fortune" At length she conceiyed TING
id, of decorating her house with paper
ornameptations and notices, and by mpeh
skill and labor she made her homqfkso
wonderfully attractive that it became
famous with the public, especially with
many Summer visitors from Boston and
vicinity. Through the efforts of the lat
ter numerous Boston merchants sent Mrs.
Monmouth as gifts large packages of sam
pie wall papers and odd window shades.
She charged small admittance to exam
inc he house, which in the warm season
would bring her some ready money
Finally age and disease untitled her to
take care of herself, and few months
ago kind neighbor carried her TO the
house of niece in London, where she
had the kindest of care, but died soon
afterward.
The strange part of her history lies in
the fact that will which has been found
and probated proves that instead of being
in poverty she left handsome property
She bequesthes to one relative $1,000, tC
several others $500 apiece, to still more
i smaller sums, and to the Women:
Benevolent Society connected with the
Baptist Church in Canterbury 5000. Hell
home aud wood lot also 60 to relatives
and what is remarkable, property sufticienl